6 jobs for romantics

Valentine’s
Day is a very polarizing holiday. For some, they can’t wait to send
valentines and celebrate with loved ones. For others, they want to get
as far away as possible from anything red, love-themed or heart-shaped.

If you fall into the former category, you may very well be a romantic
at heart. If you’re in love with love 365 days a year, why not consider
working a job that allows you to be around romance all day long? Here
are six jobs for all of you romantics out there (and apologies in
advance to the Valentine’s Day haters).

Chocolate has long been said to be an aphrodisiac. Whether or not that’s
scientifically true, it’s no surprise that it’s one of the most popular
gifts given to loved ones on Valentine’s Day. As a chocolatier, you get
to work with the delicious dessert, molding and sculpting it into
various confections for lovebirds to enjoy.

Pay: According to the Chicago Tribune, the average starting salary for a chocolatier is $25,000.

What’s more romantic than being surrounded by the intoxicating smell of
fresh flowers all day? And flowers are often purchased for love-related
reasons, such as Valentine’s Day, birthdays, weddings and anniversaries,
so you get to work with customers to design beautiful bouquets for
their loved ones or for special events.

Pay: According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, florists earn a median hourly pay of $11.45.

While the word “matchmaker” might evoke memories of watching “Fiddler on the Roof,”
the job of matchmaker has actually become a thriving, modern-day
business. Just look at the success of Patti Stanger from the hit Bravo
show “The Millionaire Matchmaker.”
While not everyone will rise to the heights that Patti has, if you
possess the skills, network and intuition needed to make love matches,
you could create a lucrative business as a matchmaker.

Pay: According to an article in the New York Post, a matchmaker in New York City can make more than $100,000 a year.

Portrait photographers are often hired to take pictures documenting life
events, such as births and weddings. Snapping photos of new parents
holding their newborn, or a newlywed couple gazing into each other’s
eyes after just saying “I do,” is sure to bring out the romantic in
anyone.

Pay: Photographers make a median hourly wage of $13.70, according to the BLS.

A romantic dinner at a restaurant usually involves a bottle of wine. And
while a man might try to impress his date by taking charge of the wine
order, he may be better off leaving it to the expertise of the
restaurant’s sommelier. Sommeliers are wine aficionados, who are skilled
in the art of pairing wine with food to enhance the food’s flavor, according to the BLS.
Sommeliers know their stuff, because they often go through training
that leads to wine-related certification. These programs involve courses
in grape varieties and characteristics, wine production sensory
evaluation, food and wine pairings and service techniques.

Pay: According to the Court of Master Sommeliers,
earnings can vary widely — from about $28,000 for a sommelier with
limited experience to $80,000 to $160,000 for a Master Sommelier.

J. Lo played one in “The Wedding Planner,”
and she ended up finding love (albeit with the fiancé of the person’s
wedding she was planning). While this hopefully isn’t the goal of
real-life wedding planners, it’s easy to fall in love with the idea of
planning a wedding for a living. It can be a stressful, high-pressure
job, but it can also be incredibly fulfilling when you turn your
client’s ideas into reality, creating a beautiful, romantic event.

Pay: Event planners can earn an average annual salary of $49,830, according to the BLS.